Portable branding device



Feb. 12, 1952 D Q SEVERANCE 2,585,504

PORTABLE BRANDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1950 INVENTOR. f3 .DEANE CZQL/SLESEVEQAA/cg BY g l rTOQ/VEX Patented Feb. 152,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to branding devices, and more particularly to a portable, electrically heated, manually operable branding device for hot branding initials, symbols, emblems, etc., from thin meta-1 foil into a surface.

It is often desirable to mark for identification purposes articles of a personal nature, such as purses, billiolds, brief cases, luggage, key containers, etc., and collections of articles such as phonograph records and books oi a library. Such identification marking obviously should be neat and attractive so as not to detract from the appearance of an article and in some cases may be employed to enhance the appearance of an article, as when the mark is composed of fanciful indicia and applied to a purse. Such indicia usually includes part of a name, initials of an owner, or may comprise a distinctive symbol or emblem.

Such an identication mark is sometimes applied to an article at the time of purchase. As other articles are obtained, identication indicia of the same kind as previously used may or may not be branded into the surface of the new article. In the case of books and phonograph records, it is extremely desirable for an owner to be able to uniformly mark such articles with his particular identication indicia. Prior branding devices for this purpose were expensive, rather cumbersome, and required a skilled operator for performing a branding operation carefully and skillfully without damage to an article.

The primary object of this invention is to design and provide a portable, manually operable branding device for conveniently andr effectively hot branding metal foil into a surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a branding device which utilizes electrical heating means for heating branding indicia to proper temperature and which may be readily connected to any convenient standard electrical outlet.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel, portable, electrically heated branding device which is so constructed and arranged as to readily permit interchange of brand indicia, symbols, or emblems.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved, portable, branding device wherein the brand indicia are automatically rel` tracted into a guard portion for reducing danger of injury or firer hazard to a minimum when the branding device is not being employed in a branding operation.

A still furthery object of'this invention is to provide a novel portable branding device wherein electrical resistance heating means may be electrically connected so as to heat the branding head and brand indicia carried thereby only when the branding device is being employed in a branding operation.

Generally speaking, this invention contemplates a branding device capable of being employed with various types of thin metal foil wherein the device comprises a hollow handhold body having an open end which telescopically receives an upper extension on a guard member. The guard member includes a lower hollow guard portion of polygonal section which enclo'ses therewithin a branding head of smaller cross-sectional plan but of corresponding polygonal section for non-rotatable and slidable accommodation within the lower guard portion. The head is connected to the hand-hold body by av` central post and an elongated securing bolt so that downward movement of the body, when branding, moves the branding head including branding indicia downwardly into contact with a metal foil. Electrical resistance means is carried by the' branding head for heating the branding indicia, the resistance means being conveniently connected to a source of electricity by a suitable connecting cord. The lower guard por tion is' provided with positioning and guide means for aligning metal foil with the branding indicia. The guard member is spring biased downwardly with respect to the hand-hold body so that the branding head will be automatically retracted within the lower guard portion when pressure is withdrawn from the hand-hold body.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a branding device embodying this invention, the section being taken in a vertical plane bisecting the device.

2 is a bottom view of the device shown in Figi, and' showing in diagrammatic lines the branding head located out of `alignment with the lower guard portion for holding the branding head in position while changing branding in- (lidia.

Fig'. 3 is' al fragmentary sectional view showing the' branding head located with respect to the Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a different modification embodying this invention, the section being taken in a vertical plane bisecting the device.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the modification shown in Fig. 5, illustrating separable electrical contacts in closed position when the branding device of Fig. 5 is pressed downwardly for a branding operation.

In Fig. 1, a portable branding device generally indicated at I, embodies one modification of this invention which is adapted to be connected to an electrical source for constant heating of brand indicia for a branding operation.

The branding device I comprises an upper hollow, cylindrical, hand-hold body II, provided with an end wall I 2 closing its upper end and with a lower open end I3. The body II is preferably made of a suitable dielectric material which not only affords electrical insulation, but is also capable of resisting heat. Received within the open end I 3 is a cylindrical upper extension I4 formed on a hollow guard member I of similar dielectric material, said upper extension I4 being adapted to reciprocally slide within the hollow body II.

The guard member I 5 is provided with a lower hollow guard portion I6 preferably of polygonal section, shown here as being rectangular. The lower guard portion is provided with an internal shoulder I'I spaced inwardly from the lower end of portion I6 for providing a stop or abutment against which edge margins of a branding head I8 may seat when the device is in inoperative extended position.

The branding head I8 is of smaller and corresponding polygonal section than the polygonal section of the lower guard portion I6 for nonrotatable and slidable accommodation within the guard portion. The branding head I8 includes an upstanding, central, elongated boss or projection I9 integrally formed therewith, said boss having a threaded axial bore 2U in its upper end for receiving an elongated assembly screw bolt 2 I. The bolt 2| extends through an axial bore 22 formed in a central post 23 which is seated against the inner surface of end wall I2 and the upper edge of the upstanding boss I9, said post passing through a central guide opening 24 formed in an end Wall 25 which closes the upper end of extension I4 of the guard member I5. The bolt 2| connects the branding head I8 with the hollow hand-hold body I I for movement therewith.

The guard member I5 is spring biased downwardly from the body II by a coil spring 26 encircling post 23 and having one end seated against end wall I2 and the other end seated against wall 25 of the extension I4. The spring thus urges the internal shoulder I'I on the guard portion against edge margins of the branding head. The cooperative relation of the shoulder and head, together with the spring. holds the device in proper assembled relation.

The branding head I8 includes a longitudinally extending dovetail groove 29 formed in its lower surface for removably receiving brand means or indicia 28. The brand indicia 28 may include selected symbols, emblems or letters for branding a selected mark into a surface of an article. Opposite end walls 3U of the lower polygonal guard portion I6 may be provided with aligned dovetail grooves 3| for guidably receiving and positioning a thin strip of metal foil 32 beneath the brand indicia. The metal foil employed may be gold, bronze, aluminum, or the like.

The branding head and indicia, which 'are preferably made of heat conducting material, are electrically heated by means of a resistance coil 33 encircling the lower portion of the central boss I9 of head I 8. Heat from the resistance coil 33 is readily transmitted through the branding head I8 to the brand indicia for burning metal foil 32 into a surface to be branded when the hand-hold body I I and connected branding head are pressed downwardly. The resistance coil 33 is suitably electrically connected to one end of an attached cord 34 which may be plugged at its other end into a convenient source of electricity, said cord passing through a port 35 in body II.

The selected brand indicia, may be conveniently interchanged by pressing the hollow hand-hold body II downwardly until the head I8 projects beyond the edge of the lower guard portion and then rotating the body so that the polygonal head I8 is rotated out of alignment with the lower guard portion and diagonally seats on the bottom edge of the lower guard portion, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Brand indicia may then be interchanged by withdrawing brand indicia from the end of the groove and inserting the other selected indicia. The branding head may then be rotated back to its normal aligned position and received within the guard portion I6.

Upon electrically connecting the resistance coil, to a source of electricity, the brand indicia will become heated by transfer of heat through the branding head from the resistance coil. When the brand indicia has reached a desired temperature, and the branding device has been positioned over a surface to be branded, the body I I is manually pressed downwardly for moving the brand indicia against the metal foil for hot branding the metal foil into said surface as shown in Fig. 4. As pressure is withdrawn the spring automatically retracts the branding head into the guard por- 1- tion until the head abuts the internal shoulder.

The hot brand indicia is thus held in a protected position for minimizing re hazard and for reducing possible damage to the indicia.

A removable material 36 such as wax or putty may ll a counterbore 31 in wall I2 which receives the head of bolt 2| for minimizing transfer of heat from bolt 2|, to the hand of the operator.

The modification of this invention shown in Fig. 5, differs from the previous modification in that the resistance coil is carried as a unit upon a removable spool and in that the resistance coil is heated only when the hand-hold body is pressed downwardly for a branding operation.

The branding device generally indicated at comprises an upper cylindrical, hollow hand-hold body 5I having an end wall 52 closing the upper end of said body and provided with a lower open end 53. An upper cylindrical hollow extension 54 of a guard member 55 is telescopically and slidably received within the open end 53 of the handhold body.

The guard member 55 includes a lower hollow guard portion 56 of polygonal section as in the previous modification and is provided with an internal shoulder 51 spaced inwardly from the bottom edge of the guard portion 56.

A branding head 58 is non-rotatably and slidably accommodated within the lower guard portion 56 and is of corresponding polygonal section as portion 56. The branding head 58 includes a central, upstanding portion 59 provided with a threaded central bore 60 in its upper end for threaded connection to an elongated assembly screw bolt 6|. The screw bolt 6I extends through 'a central post 62 which is axially positioned by means of a central aligning port 63 in an upper end wall 64 of the extension 54. The lower end of central post 62 is preferably seated against the upper end of portion 59 and adjacent end portions of a removable spool 65 carrying electrical resistance means 66 for holding the spool in assembled relationship with the head. The upper end of post 62 is provided with an axial recess 61 for receiving therewithin a depending internal central boss 68 formed on end wall 52 of the hand-hold body, said recess providing a shoulder 69 for spacing the upper edge of the post from the bottom surface or end wall 52. The upper end of post 62 is provided with an annular flange 10 affording a seat for one end of a coil spring 1I, the other end of said spring being seated against theend wall 6d of the extension 513 of the guard member. The coil spring 1| encircles the post 6'2 and serves to spring-.bias the guard member `55 downwardly from the body 5 I As in the previous modification, the branding head 58 includes a longitudinally extending dovetail groove 12 for removably holding brand indicia 12. The brand indicia 13 is heated by transfer of heat through the branding head from the resistance means carried on the spool 65 and for that purpose the branding head is preferably made of a metal material which readily conducts heat without losing its strength or form.

Means for electrically connecting the resistance coil 66 with an electrical source includes contact elements 14 and 1,5.normally held out of electrical contact by the action of the spring 1l in biasing the guard member 55 downwardly from the body 5l. The contact element 14 may be connected by lead 16 to one end of the resistance coil 66 and is mounted on the upper surface of the end wall 64 of the extension, said wall 64 being provided with a port 11 through which the lead 15 extends. The contact element 14 may be curved slightly inwardly for receiving and for providing positive sliding electrical contact with the opposed end of contact element 15 which extends downwardly from the closed end of the body 5|.

The contact element 15 includes a transverse plate portion which may be provided with a port for receiving boss 68. lThe plate portion is secured between the ilange 1D of the post 62 and the end Wall 52. The element 15 extends to the opposite side of the body 5I to provide a biased electric terminal 18 positioned opposite a port 19 in the wall of the body 5 l.

The other end of the resistance coil 66 is connected to a lead 80 which extends through an aperture 8| in the end wall 64 of the guard member for securernent to the Wall of the body 5l adjacent port 19. The end of lead 8l! is provided with a terminal 82 positioned opposite terminal 18 and arranged to be contacted by spaced male elements 83 of a plug 84 on one end of an electric cord 85, the other end of which may be suitably connected to a standard electric outlet. The port 19 may be provided with a plug 86 of dielectric material receiving male elements 83.

As in the previous modification, the lower guard portion 56 is provided with aligned dovetail grooves 86 in the end walls of said portion for positioning and aligning a thin strip of metal foil beneath the branding indicia 13.

In operation of the device shown in Fig. 5, it will be apparent that when the branding device is not being used the spring 1I biases the body and the guard member into extended position and the contact elements 14 and 15 are separated and held out of electrical contact. When branding, downward pressure upon the hand-hold body 5l moves the contact element 15 into electrical contact with the contact element 14 for providing a closed circuit for heating the resistance coll 66. At the same time, the brand indicia is moved downwardly into contact with the metal foil and as the indicia is heated, the metal foil is hot branded into the surface of the article to be branded.

I will be readily apparent that when the branding operation is completed, asfsoon as the pressure is withdrawn from the body 5I, the spring biases the body and guard memberv into extended position, separating the contact elements 14 and 15 out of electrical contact and retracting the hot brandingV indicia into the lower guard portion 56.

It will thus be readily apparent that a portable branding device has been provided with which any suitable metal foil, such as gold, aluminum. bronze, and other like materials, may be conveniently and readily hot branded into thel surf ace or" an article to be marked.

The branding indicia indicated in Fig'. 2 as being a set of initials, may be easily changed by removing the indicia from the dovetail groove in the branding head and inserting other selected' branding indicia after the head has been positioned as in Fig. 3. The metal foil employed is' readily positioned and aligned for the branding operation because the polygonal shape of the lower guard portion together with the non-rotatable branding head permits accurate alignment of the branding device so that the metal foil will be branded in the'selected position' on the" article being branded.

The provision of a hollow guard member within which the hot branding head and brand indicia are automatically retracted when the branding operation is completed affords a means for not only reducing the danger of re hazard to a minimum, but also protects the indicia from damage and deformation when the branding device is not in use.

It will be understood that while the branding device is described in connection with branding of metal foil, obviously the deve may be used for permanently burning a selected mark or indicia into a surface without using metal foil.

Other modications and changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention described above, and all such changes coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. In a hand operated portable device for hot branding metal foil into a surface, comprising: a hollow cylindrical hand hold body made of dielectric material and provided with an upper end wall and an open lower end; a hollow guard member of dielectric material provided with an upper tubular extension telescopically received within the lower open end of the hand hold body and with a lower guard portion of polygonal section; an internal downwardly facing shoulder between said guard portion and the extension; a central downwardly extending post secured to said upper end wall and extending into said extension; a branding head carried by the lower end of said post, said head being polygonal in plan to nonrotatably and slidably nt within said guard portion, peripheral margins of said head being adapted to seat on said shoulder for holding said hand hold body and guard member in assembled relation; a spring seat carried by the upper end of said extension; spring means compressed between` the spring seat and the upper end wall of the hand hold body for biasing the guard member downwardly to cover the branding head and to cause said head to seat on said shoulder; resistance means within the guard member and adjacent to the branding head; dovetail groove means extending across the bottom face of the branding head for reception of brand means; means including opposed aligned slots in the bottom margins of the lower guard portion for holding strip metal foil in alignment with said brand means while said head is retracted in normal assembled relation; said polygonal branding head being movable beyond the edge of the lower guard portion by downward pressure applied to the hand hold body for positioning said head on said edge by rotation of said hand hold body for interchanging the brand means.

2. In a hand operated portable device for hot branding metal foil into a surface, comprising: a hollow cylindrical hand hold body made of dielectric material and provided with an upper end wall and an open lower end; a hollow guard member of dielectric material provided with an upper tubular extension telescopically received within the lower open end of the hand hold body and with a lower guard portion of polygonal section; an internal downwardly facing shoulder between said guard portion and the extension; a central downwardly extending port secured to said hand hold body and extending into said extension; a branding head carried by the lower end of said post, said hand being polygonal in plan to nonrotatably and slidably fit within said guard portion, peripheral margins of said head being adapted to seat on said shoulder for holding said hand hold body and guard member in assembled relation; a spring seat carried by the upper end of said extension; spring means compressed between the spring seat and the upper end wall of the hand hold body for biasing the guard member downwardly to cover the branding head and to cause said head to seat on said shoulder; resistance means within the guard member and adjacent to the branding head; dovetail groove means extending across the bottom face of the branding head for reception of brand means; and means including opposed aligned slots in the bottom margins of the lower guard portion for holding strip metal foil in alignment with said brand means while said head is retracted in normal assembled relation.

DEANE CARLISLE SEVERANCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 8,282 Eaton June 11, 1878 186,179 Taylor Jan. 9, 1877 1,026,456 Rambaud May 14, 1912 1,850,280 Haynes Mar. 22, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 697,412 France June 13, 1930 

